UCLA scratches out another CWS victory

June 18, 2013

Updated Aug. 21, 2013 12:28 p.m.

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UCLA pitcher Nick Vander Tuig right, prepares to tag out North Carolina State's Jake Armstrong at home plate on a single by Trea Turner in the third inning of an NCAA College World Series baseball game in Omaha, Neb., on Tuesday. ERIC FRANCIS, AP

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North Carolina State's Jake Armstrong leaps towards home plate before being tagged out by UCLA pitcher Nick Vander Tuig, following a single by Trea Turner in the third inning of an NCAA College World Series game in Omaha, Neb., Tuesday. TED KIRK, AP

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UCLA's Brian Carroll reaches second base ahead of the throw to North Carolina State shortstop Trea Turner after hitting a double in the second inning of an NCAA College World Series game in Omaha, Neb., Tuesday. ERIC FRANCIS, AP

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UCLA pitcher Nick Vander Tuig steps over North Carolina State's Jake Armstrong after tagging him out at home plate on a single by Trea Turner in the third inning of an NCAA College World Series game in Omaha, Neb. on Tuesday. TED KIRK, AP

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N.C. State's Jake Armstrong (23) is out at home as he is tagged by UCLA's Nick Vander Tuig (21) during the third inning in the College World Series at TD Ameritrade Park in Omaha, Neb. on Tuesday. ETHAN HYMAN, MCT

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N.C. State's Logan Jernigan reacts after walking the bases loaded in the fifth inning during the College World Series against UCLA at TD Ameritrade Park in Omaha, Neb.on Tuesday. ETHAN HYMAN, MCT

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N.C. State's Jake Armstrong (right) is out at home as he is tagged by UCLA's Nick Vander Tuig during the third inning in the College World Series at TD Ameritrade Park in Omaha, Neb.on Tuesday. ETHAN HYMAN, MCT

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N.C. State's Bryan Adametz (left) scores on a single by Trea Turner during the third inning in the College World Series at TD Ameritrade Park in Omaha, Neb. on Tuesday. ETHAN HYMAN, MCT

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N.C. State's Trea Turner hits a single that scores a run during the third inning in the College World Series against UCLA Tuesday at TD Ameritrade Park in Omaha, Neb. on Tuesday. ETHAN HYMAN, MCT

UCLA pitcher Nick Vander Tuig right, prepares to tag out North Carolina State's Jake Armstrong at home plate on a single by Trea Turner in the third inning of an NCAA College World Series baseball game in Omaha, Neb., on Tuesday.ERIC FRANCIS, AP

OMAHA, Neb. – Near-minimum offensive effort has produced maximum results at the College World Series for UCLA.

The Bruins won their second 2-1 game in Omaha on Tuesday, this time disposing of North Carolina State in front of 25,543 at TD Ameritrade Park to take command of their bracket.

The four runs are the fewest a team has scored to produce two wins since metal bats were first used in 1974. It's also the second-fewest runs a team has used to pick up two victories since Arizona State opened the 1972 CWS with 2-1 and 1-0 wins.

"We talked about in practice yesterday how UCLA's going to give you absolutely nothing,'' North Carolina State coach Elliott Avent said. "And they didn't.''

Nick Vander Tuig and David Berg combined to hold the Wolfpack to five hits. Vander Tuig (13-4) pitched the first seven innings, struck out six and walked none.

After getting out of a tight spot in the eighth, Berg pitched around a ninth-inning single to record his 23rd save and put his team into Friday's bracket title game.

"It's Bruin baseball,'' UCLA coach John Savage said. "Sometimes it's grueling, it's tough to watch, I'm sure, from outside the dugout. But our kids hung in there and they persevered.''

UCLA (46-17) got only five hits for the second straight game but that was enough to leave the Bruins one victory shy of advancing to next week's championship series. UCLA trailed 1-0 until Kevin Kramer's dink single to center field with the bases loaded in the fifth inning tied it 1-1.

After Wolfpack reliever Grant Sasser got UCLA's hottest hitter, Eric Fiala, to pop up for the second out, he threw a wild pitch that allowed Brenton Allen to race home from third with the eventual winning run.

UCLA scored two runs in Sunday's victory over LSU on a sacrifice fly and a fielding error.

"We're not going to put up any gaudy offensive numbers,'' Kramer said. "It does get a little frustrating at times, but when you have great pitchers like this, we know we can put up a couple of runs and play defense because we know these guys will take us a long way.''

Vander Tuig gave up a run in the third on Trea Turner's RBI single. After that, the junior right-hander retired the next 12 hitters he faced before Grant Clyde singled with two outs in the seventh.

Vander Tuig used a ground ball to get out of the inning, but left after Bryan Adametz opened the eighth with a single. That's when things got interesting for the Bruins.

Berg's second pitch hit Jake Armstrong to put runners at first and second. UCLA caught a break when Logan Ratledge popped up a sacrifice attempt. The ball dropped but Berg fielded the ball and easily threw to third for a forceout.

Turner then put a jolt into what Berg called a mistake pitch.

"I knew he got a good swing on it,'' Berg said. "My heart sunk a little bit. I knew it was a bad pitch and he's a good hitter. With those combinations, not very good things happen.''

Fortunately for the Bruins, left fielder Christoph Bono ran down Turner's drive on the warning track, catching the ball about 5 feet short of the wall for the second out.

Asked he thought his hit was out, Turner replied, "I was dumb enough to. I mean, that's about as good as I can hit a ball. Unfortunately, it fell a few feet short. That could have been the difference.''

Berg ended the eighth inning with a strikeout. After Tarran Senay singled with one out in the ninth, Berg struck out the final two hitters to seal the win that earned UCLA a couple days off.

The Bruins will play the winner of Thursday night's elimination game between North Carolina State and North Carolina.

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